PARIS, France (Reuters) — Louis Dreyfus Co. will build a pea protein production facility in Yorkton, Sask., as it invests in plant-based protein as part of a push to diversify its agricultural commodity activities.
The company will build the facility at its existing industrial complex in Yorkton and aims for it to be ready by the end of 2025, it said today in a statement.
Financial details were not disclosed.
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The facility, expected to employ about 60 people, will produce ingredients suited for dairy alternatives, high-protein nutrition solutions and other plant-based applications, drawing on technology developed at an LDC research centre in California, it said.
“Pea protein demand continues to grow, due to its non-allergen and non-GMO status, and its sustainability and versatility across many food applications,” Thibaut Ferte, LDC’s head of plant proteins, said in the statement.
Other major agrifood firms have also sought to tap into Canada’s large pea production in recent years to develop meat-substitute proteins.
LDC’s Yorkton site currently houses an oilseed crushing facility for which the group plans to double capacity, partly to cater to booming use of renewable diesel in North America as a lower-emission road fuel.
